Monday, October 19, 2009

It's Monday and that means my fifth edition of "Follow Me Monday"! Today I'm going to discuss giving back! Knowing how to use coupons to snag products for FREE or next to nothing really is a talent! Use this talent to give back and show others... even strangers you care. In the video today, I'm going to show you how to do just that! I hope you'll watch and get inspired!

Remember, little acts of kindness can make a world of difference! One tiny act of generosity in your mind, could positively impact someone else's life in a huge way! Lets pay it forward this Holiday season!

(I'm not sure why it's paused on this clip, but I'm sure NOT liking it!)

75 comments:

I have been enjoying these Follow Me Monday segments - the one on Target was great because I went and found many of the items you mentioned. Keep it up! Love this one in particular because it helps to think of others, besides your immediate family, who may be in need.

Great video! I just started couponing and didn't even think to keep all the animal coupons to buy things and donate to an animal shelter. I also love how you made up nice baskets to donate to the woman's shelter. I hope to be able to start to donate extra items I get from couponing. Keep up the great work! You have taught me so much already! Thank you!

Oh - 1 more thing. We donated pens, laundry detergent and dish detergent to the animal shelter. They were SOOOO happy to get pens. They said they literally have no budget for office supplies and never have a pen on hand! Of course, I got those with TQ and MQ and paid $0 OOP during back to school. So think outside of the box and give them a call to see what they can use!

Thanks Collin for all you do for us and those in need, you are a gem! Dog shelters can also use old blankets, towels, pillows, leashes, collars, plastic bowls, toys etc. Just in case anyone has these items laying around....

I loved watching you donate your extra items to people and animals in need. You looked so happy doing it! What a wonderful thing to do. Your children will also learn from watching you give to others. Great job! Thanks for all of the ideas!

Oh wow! What a great segment. I am making a large stockpile of dog/cat stuff right now. When it gets full, I'm bringing it in. I was at the animal shelter this morning and almost left with a few cats. How did you walk out of there with none?! :)

You guys are getting so great with the video camera -- love the segment cards! What a wonderful idea for this week's video. I know I've been so happy that I've been able to donate so much needed stuff since I started couponing. That's what I think about most when I get funny looks when I mention my hobby. And you're right -- it IS a talent. Great job!

Coupons has definitely empowered me to give back. All money I receive from the sponsors of my deal blog now go to clean water! I'm super exited. I save, others save, and money is generated for those in need.

Great video. My Husband is active duty air force so we donate our travel sizes to the USO and overseas troops. Our son was born with special needs so we choose to donate food, cleaning and other items to Ronald McDonald house as well. :)

Great video Collin!! You are awesome!! I started couponing last year when I was on maternity leave with my daughter. I realized that I could get lots of items for free, so I started collecting items for 4 different charities; the nursing home our church partners with, the AnySolider program, Operation Christmas Child and our local food bank. It feels so good to be able to help a handful of people while still staying in my budget. After seeing this video, I will add another group to my list; the local animal shelter :-)

Our animal shelter always needs empty peanut butter containers for keeping the dogs stimulated. No rinsing or cleaning out, just bring in whats left after your done. For us there is enough left that the dogs get to lick a bunch out. I just stopped by there this morning with about 20 various size (mostly empty) peanut butter containers. They were thrilled to get them! I also brough them a few reams of the office max free after max perks paper.

I can't wait to build up a stockpile and start doing this. I also am hoping to do some baskets for Christmas for some of my family. Esp. my Mom! She always puts herself last! (don't most Moms?! ;)Because even though the items might be free b/c of this sale and that coupon, etc., you are still putting forth effort, printing it out at home, or getting the paper, perusing for this or that and going to actually get the item, whatever it is. So it is FREE but has been done so with great compassion, love and effort. :) We do need to pay it forward this season and each time we feel blessed enough to do so. Purpose with a passion! ;)

Great video Collin! You are such an inspiration. I just started couponing a few months ago and I am using all sort of coupons to build a stock pile to make baskets for the local women's shelter and you have given me great ideas! Thanks.

to anon @11.53 call your local child protective services and ask where to donate to friends of fostercare, or group homes,they are allways in need, they often get in kids in the middle of the night and often they need medical attention, and it really helps if they can send the apropriate stuff along with the foster parents, it takes alot of work to just suddenly welcome a unfamiliar scared child into your home.

This was so refreshing to watch! Thanks so much. I really look forward to these follow me Monday segments! Thanks again so much!By the way, you have saved us so much with your blog that my husband and I have started a "fun account". We put the money that I save from couponing into this "fun account" to use on only items that would be fun like a vacation or a new yard toy (swingset, etc.) Thanks so much!

A little side note...I got the free gift pack of Clearasil items from Seventeen magazine today in the mail. It was the promo from a long time ago that we had to text in the UPC code late at night and hope we were one of the first ones to qualify...and I was! I love checking my mail nowadays. :)

Thank you for the reminder! I just got my coupon binder all organized, and I can say it is MUCH easier to find things than in the envelopes I had them in. I hope to save lots more money, thanks to you.

What great ideas! I don't have pets so I always skip out on the pet food coupons, but now I will start saving them and try to get some free food for the pets in the shelter! I also love the idea of helping out at a womens shelter...I think most of us who follow your site are women, so it's an especially nice way to give back to people who are similar but less fortunate than us. I love all the free stuff your site allows me to get, and I love the idea of being able to share it!

Hello Collin; I REALLY enjoyed this video. I AM THE POOR PEOPLE!! My girls and I have been in a house for a little over a year now. We spent a year in shelters and the city mission. I thank Jehovah every day for what we have. I know 1st hand that material stuff is not a necessity but how nice it feels to spray perfume on that I could have never afforded to go buy for myself.I take nothing for granted anymore..so I wanted to Thank-you for your donations to the womens shelter today and let you know that your thoughtfulness is appreciated.

Thanks for the inspiration, I think that when we give of ourselves without any expectations,then it will come back 10 fold. I know you will be blessed. Thank you for all your hard work on your website.

What a great segment...I've been doing the same with our Humane Society (all those free cans of dog food from KMart doubles!) and with our local homeless family shelter - free stuff (like LOTS of Revlon nail care items and Glade candles from those Publix coupons last month!) and very cheap toys from KMart and Target clearance sales. They really appreciate it, and since I can't afford to donate much money, this is a great way to help out.

*But, just a remender for everyone, CALL YOUR LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTER FIRST! Some shelters are very picky about the brands of food they will use, and will just throw away donations that they will not use. Understandably, they can't feed out dozens of random types of food as switching brands can give animals stomach issues.

I frequently donate to the no kill animal shelter. But I’ve been meaning to gather up for the women's shelter for quite some time now. You gave me the motivation to get off my rump and do it today. 7 bags worth! Thanks for all the great deals.

LOVED this segment! Just wanted to remind everyone of all of the great Rite Aid freebies this week (well, the rebate freebies). Just went and bought all the freebies from the back of the flyer, and am donating all but 3 of the items. It's almost all cold medicine and what not which I'm sure is in high demand at shelters.

Just recently my little brother's elementary school had a pet drive. I donated all the free dog food and Fancy Feast appetizers to them! All of you might think about talking to your children's schools to host a drive similar to this. My team at work is now going to do one for a assisted living home with toiletries!

I love your follow me Mondays. I have used coupons along with ads and rebates for years & thought I was doing great. A couple months ago I found It's Hip to Save, & now, thanks to you Collin, I'm finding deals that I was never aware of. I've donated dog food & treats to the local shelter & food to the pantries, but never to the women's shelter. Thanks for the great ideas.

I have three dogs, but I've never been able to pick up any free stuff for them!!! I'm new at the couponing, but I've never seen a high dollar coupon for anything dog-related. Can you guys share how you all find these deals??? Thanks so much!!!

Go to wishuponahero.com and here you can pick exactly who you would like to help, and you can even search by what you are able to give and it will pair you up with spacific needs of people. Also you can go there and post a wish for anything you can emagine and you would be suprised who is able to help. This site has changed my families life, and is very inspiring and addicting. Thanks for this great site, and God Bless.

I just donated a bunch of cat and dog food to our shelter on Saturday. (actually my husband and daughter went in. I am ashamed to say, but I will bust out the water works if I go in there) I used the $3.00 Purina coupons and stacked them with the Target coupon. I walked out out of Target paying $5.64 for what was originally $191.00. Three ladies behind me were in awe. My husband told me they were so shocked to see how much food we brought in, and asked if we wanted a receipt. Nope...it did feel good to give back.

Fantastic video post this week! This is exactly how I feel God has been leading me to serve. I am so well stocked for myself and married daughters, I almost decided not to shop at all from now to Christmas. But I thought about all the giving that could be done, so I went ahead and ordered my coupons just for the fun of free shopping and giving everything I buy/get in that time frame to charities for man and beast! You just confirmed the plan, thanks!

Another great place to donate is hospitals; I really appreciated the trial size personal items our children's hospital was able to give me when my daughter was hospitalized because we didn't get to grab anything before our ambulance ride. Also our children's hospital can always use books, markers, coloring books, toys, and craft items.

I've been making up boxes for anysoldier.com. I go to the website and read the soldiers' requests. When I find one that matches what I've been able to get for free (or low cost), I make up a basket and send it to them.

The requested items are extremely varied, so it's easy to find someone in need of just about everything (for example, several have asked for cold medicines, which I also picked up at Rite Aid and Walgreen's last week and this week...)

The post office offers flat pack boxes for free (measuring 12 x 12 x 5 1/2 inches) and charges $11.95 to mail them to an APO address, regardless of weight. You can pack a lot of stuff in those boxes. My last couple weighed about 10 1/2 pounds.

Amazing!! Hip all your work as you can tell does not go unnoticed. I am new to the coupon world and have turn friends and family to it! I look forward to Monday's just to see what you've done next. This one surpasses them all. To share your Blessings with others... you will be rewarded! Thanks for the inspiration!! Keep Um Coming!! :)

My husband's cousin just started a service project where he has collected names of soldiers who are actively serving our country. He is getting volunteers to do "Stocking in a Box" and basically we are filling the flat rate boxes to send to soldiers for Christmas time. I am going to use mostly things that I have in my stockpile - razors, shampoo/conditioner, body wash, chapstick, snacks, etc to fill the box.

Anyone have any other good ideas of things that soldiers enjoy receiving?

Fabulous! You will not believe that I went to the pound with a boat-load of pet food and they would not take any of it. They do not accept any donations because of the fear of upsetting the animals digestive system. Boo hoo. At least we tried! (Washinton, D.C. area)

WOW! How long did it take to get all thse products? When I go shopping with my coupons I may save about $30 and still end up spending $40. I'm still new at this and things are about $.20 - $.50 more expensive in my state than yours. Hopefully I can work my way up to give back also...

What a awesome video, I only been using coupons for about a month and already am giving things away. I'm so overwhelmed with the video of you going to the woman's shelter because years ago my sister was in one, and I know they don't get much in there so any extra is such a blessing. Thanks again.IsabelFlorida

Our school, in Midlothian, VA is collecting luggage and fillers for the luggage --for foster children. My 7 year old daughter just brought in a ton of gifts we got for free at Target and about 25 Bath Buddies! Her teacher asked how her "mom afforded" all that stuff.. I have been unemployed for a year now and my ex-husband does not pay child support! My daughter looked at her teacher and said "my mom paid for all this stuff with COUPONS!" So cute.. anyhow.. Foster Children --move from place to place and according to the information we received, (My neighbor also works for the national Foster Care group and headed up this raiser) the children move around so much they also need smaller Rubbermaid type boxes to carry their things in.. Just an idea!!

I think it is wonderful to pass on all the free things that we can get from couponing. However, the "needs" lists that I've seen at area shelters NEVER include the things we tend to get for free - razors, shampoo, lotions, etc. So I'm wondering if I'm really doing them any good by dropping those things off at their warehouse? What do you think? Have you asked shelters how they feel about this?

Hey Emily, the shelter I'm donating to establishes long term housing for violence victims and that is exactly the kind of things they need, if your local shelter does not want them, then ask them about contact information for longterm housing groups or halfwayhomes that may need this. You can allso try calling your local social services and explain that you have donations and find out where to get a list of all the organizations in your area.

Don't forget about the veterans hospitals! They don't get enough funding to provide things like toothpaste, toothbrushes, deoderant, shampoo, etc. and are ALWAYS in need of those items. The only thing I've found they can't take is razors. It's a great place to donate the items we all get paid to buy. My son's Young Marines unit makes up gift bags and delivers them in their uniforms and the patients LOVE it - the staff says its something they really look forward to

I think that it would be really nice if you could do a video for follow me monday to the pet store....i was able to find in store coupons for petco...but not sure how to work it...a little help from a friend would be nice! :)